new records of jordanian scorpions - rscn · new records of jordanian scorpions fourteen scorpion...

Jordan Journal of Natural History30

New records of Jordanian scorpions

Fourteen scorpion species were collected during a recent field expedition to Jordan. Family Buthidae was represented by twelve species in seven gen-era (Androctonus, Birulatus, Buthacus, Compsobuthus, Hottentotta, Leiurus, and Orthochirus) and families Diplocentridae and Scorpionidae by one genus and species each (Nebo and Scorpio) respectively. Buthacus nigroaculeatus and B. yotvatensis were recorded for the first time in Jordan.

Key words: Scorpions, Jordan, Buthidae, Diplocentridae, Scorpionidae, Buthacus yotvatensis.

INTRODUCTION

Although the scorpion fauna of Jordan has never been systematically sur-veyed, it is better known than that of many other countries in the Middle East. Thus far, 18 species and subspecies representing 10 genera in three families, Buthidae (Androctonus, Birulatus, Buthacus, Buthus, Compsobuthus, Hottentotta, Leiurus and Orthochirus), Diplocentridae (Nebo) and Scorpionidae (Scorpio) have been reported from Jordan (Vachon, 1966; Levy et al., 1973; Kinzelbach 1984; Amr et al., 1988; Amr & El-Oran, 1994; Stathi & Mylonas, 2001; Lourenço et al., 2002, 2010; Kovařík, 2003, 2012; Amr & Abu Baker, 2004; Kovařík & Whitman, 2004; Lowe et al., 2014).

During September 2013, we conducted a field trip to collect scorpions from Jarash, along the desert highway to Aqaba, Ash Shawbak, Wadi Ramm and Al Mudawwarah. The present report documents the fourteen species of scorpions collected.

Materials and Methods

Scorpions were mostly collected by ultraviolet light detection at night, al-though some were collected by turning stones or excavating burrows during daytime. Material examined is deposited in the Collection of Arachnida and

ABSTRACT

Zuhair Amr1, Omar A. Abed2, Thabet Al Share2, Nashat Hamidan2 & Lorenzo Prendini3

1. Department of Biology, Jordan University of Science & Technology, Irbid, Jordan.2. The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, Amman, Jordan.3. Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, U.S.A.

Myriapoda at the American Museum of Natural History, New York. Table (1) indicates localities from which materials were collected.

Table 1: Coordinates for collecting sites.

RESULTSFamily Buthidae was represented by twelve species in seven genera (Androcto-nus, Birulatus, Buthacus, Compsobuthus, Hottentotta, Leiurus, and Orthochirus) and-families Diplocentridae and Scorpionidae by one genus and species each (Nebo and Scorpio, respectively). Buthacus nigroaculeatus and B. yotvatensis are recorded for the first time in Jordan.

Family Buthidae C.L. Koch, 1837Androctonus bicolor Ehrenberg, 1828 Fig. 1AMaterial Examined: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Ash Shawbak Castle, 8.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr, O. Abed, T. Al Share & L. Al Azam.Remarks: Androctonus bicolor was previously reported from only a few localities in Jordan, including Aqaba, Karak, Ma’an, Petra, Wadi Ramm (El-Hennawy,

Amr, Abed, Al Share, Hamidan & Prendini 31

LocationAl Barah, Wadi Rum

Al Brerah, Wadi Ramm

Al Gaal (Al Ghal), Wadi Rum

Al Hussainiha (Hysayneiah), ca. 2 km N on Amman–Aqaba

Highway

Al Hussainiha (Hysayneiah)–Al Qadasiah (Qadeseah/

Qadessyah/Qadisiyeh) road

Al Khoshakhashe (Kheshkhasheh), Wadi Rum

Al Shaubak (Showbak/Shawbak) castle, hillside opposite

Al Shaubak (Showbak/Shawbak) castle, slopes below

Ash Shawbak Castle

Dana Guest House, cliffs above

Dibbin (Dibeen) Forest Reserve

Jabal Al Romman

King Talal Dam road

Makheet, Wadi Rum

NW of Al Mudawwarah (Modawarah)

NW of Al Mudawwarah (Modawarah)

Wadi Al Ahmar

Wadi Al Mohark, Wadi Ramm

Wadi ‘Araba, Qaser Al Tlah

Wadi ‘Araba, Wadi Al Ghwaibeh (Ghwaqibeh)

Wadi ‘Araba, Wadi Khanzeerah (Khanzairh)

Wadi Daba’a, ca. 1 km W of Amman–Aqaba Highway

Zogreet (Zograit), Jarash–Ajloun road

N29°32’47.7’’

29°32’08.4’’

29°33’54.0’’

30°52’26.9’’

30°35’14.1’’

29°29’52.1’’

30°31’35.6’’

30°31’56.9’’

30°31’35.6’’

30°40’27.4’’

32°14’46.9”

30°41’40.0’’

32°11’52.4”

29°31’27.8’’

29°19’10.6’’

29°19’15.7’’

30°41’21.6’’

29°36’15.6’’

30°49’47.5’’

30°48’13.3’’

30°53’39.9’’

31°35’49.2’’

32°17’03.6’’

E35°19’36.3’’

35°32’14’00”

35°37’48.4’’

35°59’06.7’’

35°46’29.2’’

35°25’54.4’’

35°33’57.2’’

35°33’36.1’’

35°33’57.2’’

35°36’29.7’’

35°49’22.0”

35°33’46.7’’

35°50’13.4”

35°23’02.3’’

35°58’58.9’’

35°59’51.5’’

35°34’28.1’’

35°31’00.4’’

35°24’38.2’’

35°24’21.6’’

35°25’38.2’’

35°59’27.1’’

35°51’27.7’’

1988; Amr & El-Oran, 1994; Kovařík & Whitman, 2004). At Ash Shawbak, it was collected from the wadi and slopes below the castle ruins.

Androctonus crassicauda (Olivier, 1807) Fig. 1BMaterial Examined: 1 ♀, Al Brerah, Wadi Ramm, 11.ix.2013, Z. Amr, N. Hamidan & T. Al Share.Remarks: Androctonus crassicauda is one of the most venomous scorpion species in the Middle East. In Jordan, it is widely distributed in the eastern desert and Wadi Araba to Aqaba and Wadi Ramm (Levy & Amitai, 1980; Amr et al., 1988; Amr & El-Oran, 1994; Stathi & Mylonas, 2001, Kovařík & Whitman, 2004). It was also collected from the Mediterranean region but in low numbers. It lives in horizontal burrows or rodent burrows.

Birulatus haasi Vachon, 1974 Material Examined: 1 ♀, Al Hysayneiah, ca. 2 km N on Amman–Aqaba Highway, 7.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr, O. Abed, T. Al Share & L. Al Azam. --1 ♂, Ash Shawbak Castle, 8.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr, O. Abed, T. Al Share & L. Al Azam.Remarks: Birulatus haasi was originally described from the Tafilah area (Vachon, 1974). It was redescribed by Lourenço (1999), who mistakenly suggested that it is a cave-dwelling scorpion. This is the second collection of this species from Jordan, with an additional locality from Al Hussainiha, expanding the known distribution into more arid regions of Jordan.

Buthacus nigroaculeatus Levy et al., 1973 Fig. 1CMaterial Examined: 2 juv. ♂, Wadi Al Mohark, Wadi Ramm, 11.ix.2013, L. Prendini, O. Abed & L. Al Azam. -- 3 ♂, 3 ♀, Al Barah, Wadi Ramm, 10.ix.2013, Z. Amr, N. Hamidan & L. Al Azam. -- 1 ♀, Al Barah, Wadi Ramm, 10.ix.2013, Z. Amr, N. Hamidan & L. Al Azam.Remarks: Specimens from Wadi Ramm (Kinzelbach, 1984; Stathi & Mylonas, 2001; Kovařík & Whitman, 2004), previously referred to as Buthacus leptochelys (Ehrenberg, 1829), are here referred to Buthacus nigroaculeatus, making this the first record of the species from Jordan.

Buthacus yotvatensis Levy, Amitai & Shulov, 1973 Fig. 1DMaterial Examined: 1 ♀, Wadi ‘Araba, Wadi Khanzeerah, 9.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr & L. Al Azam. -- 2 ♂, 1 ♀, Wadi ‘Araba, Wadi Al Ghwaibeh, 9.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr & L. Al Azam. -- 2 ♂, 1 ♀, Wadi ‘Araba, Wadi Al Ghwaibeh, 9.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr & L. Al Azam. Remarks: Buthacus yotvatensis was collected in the sand dunes of Wadi Al Ghwaibeh and Wadi Khanzeerah, the first records of this species in Jordan. It was previously found on sand dunes of Wadi Araba on the Israeli side (Levy & Amitai, 1980).

Compsobuthus jordanensis Levy, Amitai & Shulov, 1973 Material Examined: 6 ♂, 6 ♀, 1 subad. ♀, Wadi Daba’a, ca. 1 km W of Amman–Aqaba Highway, 7.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr, O. Abed, T. Al Share & L. Al Azam. -- 9 ♂, 4 ♀, Al Hysayneiah–Al Qadessyah road, 7.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr, O. Abed, T. Al Share & L. Al Azam.


Remarks: Compsobuthus jordanensis was previously reported from around Wadi Daba’a, southeast of Amman, and Al-Hasa toward Ma’an (Levy et al., 1973). It appears to be widely distributed in Jordan, extending further south and to the west of the Irano-Turanian zone.

Compsobuthus levyi Kovařík, 2012Material Examined: 1 ♂, Dana Guest House, 8.ix.2013, L. Prendini. -- 5 ♂, Ash Shawbak Castle, 8.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr, O. Abed, T. Al Share & L. Al Azam. -- 4 ♂, Ash Shawbak Castle, 8.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr, O. Abed, T. Al Share & L. Al Azam. Remarks: Compsobuthus levyi was previously reported from Qasr Burqu, in the eastern desert of Jordan (Kovařík, 2012). The new locality records extend its distribution further into southwestern Jordan.


Figure 1: A. Androctonus bicolor. B. Androctonus crassicauda. C. Buthacus nigroaculeatus. D. Buthacus yotvatensis. E. Compsobuthus schmiedeknechti. F. Hottentotta judaicus.

Compsobuthus schmiedeknechti Vachon, 1949 Fig. 1EMaterial Examined: 8 ♂, 2 ♀, Dibeen Nature Reserve, 6.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr, O. Abed, T. Al Share & L. Al Azam.Remarks: Compsobuthus schmiedeknechti occurs in rocky habitats in the Medi-terranean region of Jordan (Levy & Amitai, 1980). Published records include Bonifica and Petra (Vachon, 1949; Kovařík & Whitman, 2004).

Hottentotta judaicus (Simon, 1872) Fig. 1FMaterial Examined: 3♀, Zogreet, Jarash–Ajloun road, 6.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr. -- 1juv., Dibeen Forest Reserve, 6.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr, O. Abed, T. Al Share & L. Al Azam.Remarks: Hottentotta judaicus was previously reported from several localities within the Mediterranean region of Jordan (Wahbeh, 1976; Kinzelbach, 1984; El-Hennawy, 1988; Amr & El-Oran, 1994). It is often associated with the terra rossa soil.

Leiurus jordanensis Lourenço, Modry & Amr, 2002 Fig. 2AMaterial Examined: 1♂, NW of Al Mudawwarah, 10.ix.2013, L. Prendini, O. Abed & T. Al Share.Remarks: Leiurus jordanensis was originally described from a desert habitat in southern Jordan composed of sandstone cliffs surrounded by flat sand dunes (Lourenço et al., 2002). It was subsequently recorded from northern Saudi Arabia (Hendrixson, 2006; Lowe et al., 2014).

Leiurus hebraeus (Birula, 1908) Fig. 2BMaterial Examined: 6 ♂, 10 ♀, 1subad. ♂, 1subad.♀, 9 juv. ♂, 6 juv. ♀, King Talal Dam road, 6.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr, O. Abed, T. Al Share & L. Al Azam. -- 2 ♀, 1 juv. ♂, 4 juv. ♀, Jabal Al Rumman, 9.ix.2013, O. Abed & T. Al Share. -- 1♂, Wadi Al Ahmar, 9.ix.2013, O. Abed & T. Al Share. -- 2♂, Dana Guest House, 9.ix.2013, L. Prendini. -- 55♂, 42 ♀, 8 subad. ♂, 8 subad. ♀, 11 juv. ♂, 12 juv. ♀, Ash Shawbak Castle, 8.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr, O. Abed, T. Al Share & L. Al Azam. -- 50♂, 63♀, 6subad. ♂, 7subad. ♀, 1 juv. ♂, 3 juv. ♀, Ash Shawbak Castle, 8.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr, O. Abed, T. Al Share & L. Al Azam. -- 3♂, 8♀, 2subad. ♀, 1 juv. ♂, Ash Shawbak Castle, 8.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr, O. Abed, T. Al Share & L. Al Azam. Remarks: This species, previously regarded as a subspecies of Leiurus quinques-triatus (Ehrenberg, 1828), is the most venomous scorpion species in Jordan (Amr et al., 1994). It is also the most common species with a wide distribution cover-ing much of the western part of the country (Levy et al., 1970; Wahbeh, 1976; Levy & Amitai, 1980; El-Hennawy, 1988; Amr & El-Oran, 1994; Stathi & Mylonas, 2001; Lowe et al., 2014). More than a hundred specimens were collected near Ash Shawbak Castle, on the walls of caves, under bushes and in rocky areas.

Orthochirus scrobiculosus negebensis Shulov & Amitai, 1960 Fig. 2CMaterial Examined: 2♂, 2 ♀,Wadi Daba’a, ca. 1 km W of Amman–Aqaba Highway, 7.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr, O. Abed, T. Al Share & L. Al Azam. -- 1♂, 1 ♀, Al Hysayneiah, ca. 2 km N on Amman–Aqaba Highway, 7.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr, O. Abed, T. Al Share & L. Al Azam. -- 1 ♀, Wadi ‘Araba, Qaser, Al Tlah, 9.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr & L. Al Azam.


Remarks: The status of this taxon is unclear. Orthochirus populations from Jor-dan, Palestine, and Sinai were initially described as O. innesi negebensis Shulov & Amitai, 1960 and later regarded as O. scrobiculosus negebensis (Levy & Amitai, 1980; Fet & Lowe, 2000). Kovařík (2004: 27) suggested these populations may be a ‘separate species’ while Kovařík & Whitman (2004) identified specimens from Wadi Ramm as Orthochirus innesi Simon, 1910. Hendrixson (2006) referred specimens from neighboring Saudi Arabia to O. innesi. Orthochirus scrobiculosus negebensis is usually found under stones and was previously reported from arid and semi-regions of Jordan, e.g., Azraq, Jerash, Madaba, Thgrat al Jubb (Wahbeh, 1976; Amr & El-Oran, 1994; Stathi & Mylonas, 2001). High population densities were previously reported in the Azraq area (Amr & El-Oran, 1994). The newly reported material was collected along the desert highway within the Irano-Tura-nian region and from Wadi Araba.


Figure 2: A. Leiurus jordanensis. B. Leiurus hebraeus. C. Orthochirus scrobiculosus negebensis. D. Nebo hierichonticus. E. Scorpio kruglovi.


Family Diplocentridae Karsch, 1880Nebo hierichonticus (Simon, 1872) Fig. 2DMaterial Examined: 1 subad. ♀, King Talal Dam road, 6.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr, O. Abed, T. Al Share & L. Al Azam. -- 1♂, Wadi Al Ahmar, 9.ix.2013, O. Abed & T. Al Share.Remarks: Nebo hierichonticus is endemic to the Levant. In Jordan, it was previ-ously reported from several localities including Al-Mazar al-Janubi, Al Karak Amman,Jarash,Madaba, Petra, Wadi Araba, Wadi Karak, and Wadi Ramm (Wahbeh, 1976; Levy & Amitai, 1980; Amr & El-Oran, 1994; Stathi & Mylonas, 2001; Kovařík & Whitman, 2004). This species constructs burrows and can be found under rocks and in crevices. In the Jarash area, it was found in deep crevices among large boulders and in earthen walls.

Family Scorpionidae Latreille, 1802Scorpio kruglovi Birula, 1910 Fig. 2EMaterial Examined: 1 ♂, Jabal Al Rumman, 9.ix.2013, O. Abed & T. Al Share. -- 3♂, Ash Shawbak Castle, 8.ix.2013, L. Prendini, Z. Amr, O. Abed, T. Al Share & L. Al Azam. -- 1 ♂, Al Barah, Wadi Ramm, 10.ix.2013, Z. Amr, N. Hamidan & L. Al Azam. -- 1 ♂, Al Kho-shakhashe, Wadi Ramm, 11.ix.2013, Z. Amr, N. Hamidan & T. Al Share.Remarks: Scorpio kruglovi was previously reported, as Scorpio maurus palmatus (Ehrenberg, 1828), from Ajloun, Amman, Theban, Wadi Musa, and Wadi Ramm (Wahbeh, 1976; El-Hennawy, 1988; Amr & El-Oran, 1994; Kovařík & Whitman, 2004). The new material was collected from rocky areas around Ash Shawbak and compacted sand areas at several localities in Wadi Ramm.

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new records of jordanian scorpions - rscn · new records of jordanian scorpions fourteen scorpion...

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